When I started the year out, I had set a goal to visit at least one country a month this year. Then I got my special assignment that grounded me, so I set the goal of having year round tan lines–which has kind of happened, but I’m due for some sun, stat! With that said, I started the year strong with visits to Antigua, Senegal, Grenada and the Philippines by the end of March and continued with visits to Colombia, Croatia and Montenegro in the 6 months that followed.
Taking Time for Myself
I woke up today not knowing what day it was. It’s Tuesday. The last scheduled day I worked was Friday. So what happened between then and now? Your guess is as good as mine–time has flown! First off, there have been more volunteers arriving, which means more people to hang out with, which means less time for writing and sleeping, but I’m trying to figure it out. No complaints–there are some really cool and interesting people here who I genuinely have enjoyed getting to know. After a long day of doing various things, grabbing a bite or a drink together is a great way to unwind, decompress, share experiences and get to know each other.
From Stab Wound to All Smiles
While the weather the past few days have been reminiscent of spring days, sunny with a chill but dry, we do have winter days where the rain doesn’t let up and the cold sets into your body. As a result, most of what we see in the clinic are colds, or what’s come to be dubbed as the Moria flu (headache, runny nose, sore throat, cough). Every once in a while we do get something different, like a broken leg, sprained ankle, toothache, pregnancy issue and even a stab wound. Yes, stab wound. That’s what happened the other day.
So It Begins
All my bags are packed, (I think) I’m ready to go…Singing that song is how I woke up my roommate this morning at 4:15am to drive me to the airport. (Best roomie ever–for taking me to the airport, and not hitting me for singing.) I, myself, woke up after my second of five alarms went off at 4:05am after an hour of sleep, with the lights on, because I was terrified that I wouldn’t wake up. Anyone else have that fear or just me? Today was the day. I was starting the long journey to Lesvos to volunteer at the refugee camps.
Where Did You Go, 2015?
Yesterday, when I started writing this post, it was the last day of 2015. Where did this year go? So much has happened, and so much hasn’t either. I’ve been getting all of the “end of the year” type of posts from different places; online retailers I frequent, social networks I’m part of, updates from friends and family… The end of the year is a common time for people to pause, reflect and share the lessons they’ve learned. To be honest, I don’t even know where to start. The past few months have been a blur and I barely think I’ve had time to breathe or sleep, let alone process what’s going on. But that’s my life and I’ve chosen to be that way. No complaints, just sharing observations.
Fighting Fear: EuroAfricAsia 2015
When I see a cheap flight, especially a glitch or error fare, I turn into an animal and pounce like it’s my dinner and I haven’t eaten in ages. Book now, figure it out later. Thanks to a rule by the Department of Transportation, you have 24 hours to cancel a flight with a full refund—so really, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain when an error fare comes up. That’s how I found myself with a flight out from Portland, Oregon to London, England returning from Istanbul, Turkey back to Portland, from mid-November to mid-December for under $500 USD. That was less than a flight home for the holidays. (In the words of my friend, Kenna, #bookthatish!)
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